Cemetery marker and improvements therein



April 15, 1969 R-HBERGENER ET AL 3,438,159

CEMETERY MARKER AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREIN Filed March 6, 1967 JOSEPH A JQNIES BORN APRILIIJBTQ 1 12 DDED JUNE 241I953 INVENTOR.

ROBERT H. BERGENER T R A Y W/M T /R s O J. w u A MW m NW Y B United States Patent Office 3,438,159 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 3,438,159 CEMETERY MARKER AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREIN Robert H. Bergener, Salt Lake City, and Newell J. Stewart, Venice, Utah, assignors to Memorial Photo Service, Inc., Riehfield, Utah Filed Mar. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 621,010 Int. Cl. E04h 13/00; B44c /04, 5/12 U.S. Cl. 52104 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to grave markers, known as cemetery markers, and, more particularly, to new and improved markers of the type descrrbed whrch can include portrait indicia thereon in addition to the name indicia and vital statistics generally found on markers The markers contemplated in the present nvention may be made of a number of materials ranging from wood to marble, stone, and metal. The essential feature in the invention is that there be supplied a portrait 1ndicia of readily permanent character, conveniently affixed to or embedded in the marker. In this regard the invention contemplates attaching a portrait device to a marker, and teaches a unique manner of securement thereof to the marker.

In practice of the invention a preferred embodiment of the markers may be either reworked 1n s 1tu or may be preliminarily apertured, prior to portrait installation, for receiving the intended portrait indicia. The latter is preferably encased in plastic, and preferably in a unique manner as hereinafter described, for insuring that the portrait indicia remains afiixed to the marker as desired.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide for a new and useful cemetery marker, either new or reworked, wherein the marker includes portrait indicia of the deceased.

An additional object is to provide for cemetery markers a unique, hermetically-sealed unit containing a viewable portrait for cemetery markers.

An additional object is to provide in cemetery markers a portrait device having suitable protective layers.

An additional object is to provide in a portrait device for cemetery markers a background layer supplying both background to the portrait of the person displayed as well as obscuring adhesive means which might be used in cementing the device to the marker.

An additional object is to provide for cemetery markers suitable means for removing defaced portrait devices from cemetery markers and for replacing and reinstalling the same.

According to the present invention, a cemetery marker is provided with portrait indicia of the deceased. The portrait indicia preferably takes the form of a hermetically sealed unit comprising a portrait encased or embedded in a suitable plastic. The unit is preferably recessed into the cemetery marker and cemented in place. In a preferred form of the invention the portrait unit used includes a background layer for aiding the portrait in standing out visually in relief.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cemetery markor incorporating the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary section taken along the line 2--2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse, vertical section of a mold, illustrating a representative manner in which the portrait devices are to be formed.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of a portrait device made in accordance with the principles shown in FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but illustrates the manner in which a portrait device, which may have been defaced or otherwise damaged, may be removed from the marker by preliminarily placing in the device a central pilot hole.

FIGURE 6 illustrates one type of tool which may be aligned with the previously produced pilot hole of the structure of FIGURE 5 for completely removing portrait device in preparation to installation of the substitute device.

FIGURE 7 is a section view of the portrait device similar to that shown in the mold of FIGURE 3; in FIGURE 7 the background layer has been made adjacent to the photograph, as indicated.

In FIGURE 1 a grave marker 10 is illustrated. Marker 10 includes the conventional name indicia 11 and vital statistics indicia 12. Grave marker 10 may be com posed of any material such as marble, stone, bronze or other metal, or even wood, for example. Of course, the material of marker 10 should be chosen for qualities of durability and permanence.

The present invention supplies portrait indicia 13. Portrait indicia 13 takes the form, preferably, of a laminate device 14, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The laminate device comprises a translucent and preferably transparent face 15, a picture such as a positive print 16, a backing layer 17, and also a background layer 18.

In a preferred manner of fabrication the device 14 is made in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3. First, there will be provided a mold 19 resembling a shallow tumbler. A suitable mold release will be supplied the inner surface of the tumbler at R. Then there will be poured a suitable castable plastic, such as castable resin, to constitute the face 15. Acrylic additives may be added to the castable resin to harden the final product and to prevent the same from yellowing. This layer will be allowed to harden and dry, at which time the picture 16 will be laid thereon. The picture or portrait 16 of the individual is preferably cut so that just the individual, less the background of the original negative, is shown. Thus, the persons portrait will be disposed at 16 and a subsequent layer, termed a backing layer 17, will be poured. This can be either a colored or clear plastic. Many types of coloring agents, such as carbon earths and silicon earths, may be used as additives in coloring individual plastic layers.

For convenience of illustration, the thickness of layers 15 and 17 has been exaggerated. From a practical point of view these layers may only be of the order of from one-sixth to one-eighth of an inch thick and the diameter D, while same can be made of any size, is preferably from two to five inches.

Returning to the construction of device 14, it will be seen with reference to FIGURE 3 that there may be subsequently poured over backing layer 17 a background layer 18. This is preferably colored and is provided for two reasons: the first is to give a background to the cut portrait of the individual; the second is to hide or obscure that epoxy or other cementitious substance 20 used to secure the device 14 within marker aperture 21. Hence, the viewer will not see the adhesive means in the background but rather will see a plr asing background color as is supplied by layer 18. If desired, the layer 18 might conceivably be deleted and the background 17 colored in an appropriate manner. It is preferable, however, for making the portrait stand out that there be a preliminary transparent or translucent backing layer 17 against which the backing layer 18 may be provided.

A suitable coloring agent may also be disposed in the material constituting face 15, for reflecting energy in the infra-red or ultra-violet region, i.e., those which might otherwise, in time, cause damage to the portrait 16. However, where the portrait is hermetically sealed through its plastic embedment, as illustrated, the chance of damage to the portrait is extremely slight, even though long periods of time are contemplated.

The completed device is illustrated at 14 in FIGURE 4, and, when cemented in place in aperture 21, will complete the construction as shown in FIGURE 2.

It will be understood that the device 14 can be either flush with the outer surface 22 of grave marker 10 or, and preferably, the surface 23 of marker 14- may be indented slightly, as illustrated. The reason for this is illustrated in FIGURE 5. A centering tool 26 can be used to drill out the portrait device should the face of the latter become defaced through vandals or other reasons. In such even the centering tool 26 will have a central aperture 27 accommodating pilot drill bit 28 of drill 29. The user, hence, may center the hole produced in device 14. Subsequently, the user will remove pilot drill 28 and insert a removal tool 30 into drill 29. The pilot drill tip 31 of removal tool 30 will be fitted into the pilot hole 32, previously produced by pilot drill bit 28. Hence, the removal tool 30 is centered and the divice 14 can easily be drilled out.

Of course, there are other methods of removal which can be used, as by using sandblasting, or chipping, abrasive, and cutting techniques. In any event, once the device 14 is removed, then an interested party will simply send to the supplier for a duplicate copy of portrait 16. At this point the supplier will encase the new portrait 16 in plastic, as aforementioned, and a new unit will be sent for installing into the cemetery marker by a suitable cementitious substance 20 such as a resin paste or epoxy cement.

It is desired that the outer surface 23 of device 14 not protrude outwardly from surface 22 of marker 10. This is desired since otherwise, if the marker were horizontal, the blade of grass-cutting equipment might easily damage device 14. For cleaning purposes, of course, it is desired that the surface 23 be flush with surface 22, as can easily be the case, if desired.

There are various modifications of the device which may be employed. Thus, any type of protective coating may be deployed over the photographic print, transparency, or other image means 16. The face 15 may be completely transparent or may have a colored hue, as is desired for purposes of appearance and preservation of the portrait. The background layer is highly useful at its disposition at 18, but may be eliminated if desired. Further, background layer may be secured directly against the portrait as illustrated in FIGURE 7 with respect to device 14. In such event the background layer now takes the form as shown in 18' in FLIGURE 7.

Accordingly, what is presented is a means whereby portrait indicia may be displayed prominently on cemetery markers, this for the convenience and comfort of the family of the deceased and to provide genealogists and others with useful information.

We claim:

1. In combination, a cemetery marker for a deceased, and portrait indicia means viewably secured to said cemetery marker, to present to the viewer a visual representation of the deceased said portrait indicia means comprising a transparent face, a portrait backing said face, a transparent backing layer secured to said transparent face for encasing said portrait between said transparent face and said backing layer, and a colored background layer disposed over said backing layer.

2. For securement to a cemetery marker, a portrait indicia unit comprising a transparent face, a portrait viewable through and backing said face, and background means secured to said face over said portrait for enclosing said portrait between said front face and said background means and also for supplying a colored background around said portrait when viewed through said front face.

3. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said background means comprises colored background layer.

4. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said background means comprises transparent backing means backed by a colored background layer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,643,154 9/1927 Young 52--l04 2,312,859 3/1943 Zcntrnyer 52--103 X 2,358,009 9/1944 Hogsten et al 52104 X FOREIGN PATENTS 6,686 1907 Great Britain.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

P. C. PAW, JR., Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 40124.5; 52-133 

